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REX REPORTS FROM RUSSIA

Northern Ireland will be represented – in a small way – at the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Rex Henderson (Form I) has been invited to take part in activities leading up to the tournament kick-off in Moscow on 14th June.

Rex is set to report on various events after winning a contest for young football writers run by the Irish Football Association.

His trip to Russia has been organised through the Football For Friendship (F4F) programme, which is aimed at fostering social values such as respect for other cultures and nations, equality and peace as well as encouraging young people to adopt healthy lifestyles.

The main activities of this year’s F4F programme – it is now in its sixth year – are an International Friendship Camp, an F4F World Championship and an International Children’s Forum in Moscow from June 8th to 15th, where more than 200 countries will be represented.

Rex, who plays football at youth level for Crusaders, is set to report on the youth football tournament and the F4F International Children’s Forum after winning an Irish FA contest to find a young football writer to cover both events. And we will be posting Rex’s reports onto the Academy’s Facebook page so our students can also follow his experiences.

Rex had to submit a 350-word report on any local football match and Crusaders fan Rex’s report on his favourite team was judged the best by an Irish FA panel. Rex’s dad Ryan will be accompanying him to Russia.

Gazprom, which sponsors F4F and is a partner of FIFA and the 2018 World Cup, is hosting the group from Northern Ireland and the other groups from around the world.

Following the F4F tournament and the forum they will all be attending the opening ceremony and opening match of World Cup 2018 on 14 June featuring hosts Russia against Saudi Arabia in Moscow’s 81,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium.